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Repentant Drunk Driver
Location: West Lafayette, Ohio Date: January 28, 1992 Story Paul Prater left his house on the night of January 28, 1992 to head to his friend's house. According to him he was going to watch a movie and eat pizza with his girlfriend. Earlier that day he and his friends were drinking and he already consumed four beers. His BAC was 0.10.2 which is 2 times the legal limit. He says once he got in his truck he did not doubt whether he was sober enough to drive. He says he remembers cresting the hill but he does not remember what happened afterward until he ended up in the ICU. He went over the hill, lost control of the vehicle, and crashed head on into a small pickup truck occupied by Patricia Johnson and her friend, David Marlatt, killing David and pinning Patricia under the dashboard. At 8:45pm John Moser arrived on scene and examined the crash. He knew there were going to be fatalities because it was a head-on collision. First he checked on Paul. He was partly awake but stone drunk because John found beer in his truck, he had beer on his breath, and was moaning. Next John checked on David. He hit the wheel and was declared dead at the scene. Neither he or Patricia were wearing seat belts. The last to be checked on was Patricia. Her neck was broken, she was gagging on her own blood, both of her legs were crushed, and she had lacerations on her face, neck, arms, and legs. John knew there was nothing he could do for David and declared him dead, but he needed to get Patricia out so he called backup and Coshocton County EMS was dispatched. Rescuers spent 35 minutes trying to get the door open before the fire department arrived. Using the Jaws of Life Cutters they removed Patricia from her truck. Randy Curtis of EMS stabilized Patricia but her injuries were so severe they had to call in SkyMed. Mary Ellen Morton examined her once they got her out. Because of the blood she feared head trauma. She also noted Patricia was unresponsive because of her injuries. Because of the lacerations Patricia had to be put on IVs to keep her fluids up before she was loaded into the chopper and flown to Ohio State University Medical Center. Mary Ellen and John also noted every time they go on call to an accident a third of the time alcohol is involved and the person who did it has preformed DUI. While this was going on Paul was extracted from his truck. John knew at once he was drinking because beer cans fell out. Once they got him stabilized he was transported by ambulance to Ohio State University Medical Center and was held in the security ward of the trauma unit until he was revived. Patricia's injuries were so critical she remained in a coma for a week and had to spend two months in the hospital. Her family and friends visited her every day. Because of her injuries Patricia is now paralyzed, must use a wheelchair and a cane, and had to undergo skin grafts and surgery to insert pins into her damaged legs. She also had to undergo therapy which she continues to this day. Because of the pins one of her legs is shorter then the other and she is blind in her left eye because of blood loss. As for Paul he was sentenced to 15 years in prison and was bailed out in 2017. His license was revoked, he was given a felony bond because this was his fourth DUI, and is a speaker for Safety Council. Patricia is also one and they go around with the other DUI victims who were on Rescue 911 warning people about the dangers of DUI. Category:1992 Category:Ohio Category:Motor-Vehicle Accidents Category:Head Traumas Category:Crush Injuries Category:DUI's Category:Death